by Kat


Sadly, Repo! The Genetic Opera didn't live up to my high expectations. The preview just looked SO kickass... but it fell somewhat short of my hopes.Hearing Anthony Stewart Head's voice in the preview involuntarily brought to mind the unparalleled excellence of the musical episode of Buffy. But "Once More, With Feeling," Repo! was not.

It was an amusing story and interesting cinema with striking visuals, but the plot was weak and the musical numbers clunky and disjointed. It lacked development or exposition in any way that would give it real "life" beyond a one-time viewing. I certainly don't think it's the "travesty" that some critics are calling it and definitely not "the worst movie ever," but it lacked even the legs I hoped it would have to deserve cult classic status.

One thing that really bothered me was that although the movie was only released the 7th of this month, about a quarter of the theatre showed up in costume and a third seemed to know the songs (they sang before the movie opened but thankfully NOT during it). Look, I understand jubilance at alternative theatre as much as the next guy... BUT! THIS. WAS. NOT. THE. EFFING. ROCKY. HORROR. PICTURE. SHOW.

Cult status has to be EARNED, not given! Showing up to a movie three days after opening in full regalia seems a little pre-emptive, and singing the musical numbers before the show is a bit discourteous to everyone who is there to actually SEE IT the ONE NIGHT it is in town. Personal pet peeve? Maybe. I won't even listen to the RENT soundtrack until I see it on stage.

Somehow(!) a large number of people in the theater had seen the movie already. Did they torrent it? Are they roadies? Were they just excited because we got to meet the director?! (Ok, that WAS cool.) I don't know! The irritation I felt was somewhat akin to what I imagine it would be like going to see Twilight with a bunch of randy, vampire-groupie teenagers on opening night, not having read the book(s) beforehand. Shudder.

Anyway, back to the film itself. Interesting concept. Had potential. Could have been the most awesome Sci-fi rock opera. And fell flat.

Why?


Look, Repo! was a really good idea. And the gothlings seem to looooove it. So apparently it did some things right. But in my journalistic opinion, it still seemed like a rough draft. Frankly, I think Repo! owes its success to two things... its unique cinematography and the voices of a few stellar singers. Without the creative, stylistic visuals, it would have been completely terrible. Without Anthony Stewart Head, Sarah Brightman, and Terrance Zdunich to carry the less-than-fabulous "show tunes," it would have died a wretched death.

There was some talent, and some creativity, but just not enough to make this film worthy of cult status. Repo! still has five cities left in it's seven-city tour, so I guess it remains to be seen if will live on in "B" Fests everywhere. I can't say "I hope so," and I can't say "I hope not," so I'll just say the one thing I'm left feeling about this movie that could have been so much more:

MEH.

Posted on November 12, 2008 @ 4:32 PM | 0 comments

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